Cate Cassidy
Catherine "Cate" Cassidy is Lux's mother. She is a radio talk show host and was married to her former co-host Ryan Thomas until the series finale. In the finale she dated her daughter's father, her first love from high school, Nate Bazile. Early Life When Cate was a little girl her father, Grant Cassidy. Left the family, only to send birthday cards to Cate every year. She went to Westmonte, had a perfect 4.0 GPA and was class president. She lost her virginity to Nate 'Baze' Bazile on the night of their winter formal in a van she became pregnant she put the baby up for adoption, on the advice of her mother, Laverne. She was unaware that Lux was born with a heart defect that made her virtually unadoptable. Throughout The Series Season 1 We are introduced to Cate when we see her at her job. She is a Morning drive time radio personality on a local Portland radio station. She works with Ryan Thomas, who is her boyfriend as well. She is known for her inability to cook, and is also unable to commit to anyone or anything. When she meets Lux for the first time, she is astonished to find out that she was in foster care most of her life, and wasn't adopted as she thought she would be. Lux then explained to her that she had a congenital heart defect (in this case, Atrial Septal Disorder), years of costly and expensive surgeries would not allow her to be adoptable until she was almost three years old. When she wasn't adopted out, she was placed in Care. Cate appeared at Lux's emancipation hearing along with Baze, where they continued to argue about who was helping Lux more. Lux was not emancipated and was instead put in Cate and Baze's temporary joint custody. Because of Cate's job as a radio host and she having a more suitable house, Lux moved in with her and Ryan. As time goes on, she realizes that she had a lot of guilt over what happened to Lux. And Lux put a lot more on blame on her, than she did with Baze. Cate would sometimes unintentionally hurt Lux by some of her decisions, but a lot of times, Lux is still unsure of losing Cate as a mother due to her past. At the end of the season, Cate marries Ryan, even though she still has feelings for Baze. Season 2 Season 2 sees Cate lose her job at the radio station, and her and Ryan's attempts to have a child of their own. A situation that makes Lux become resentful towards her. This strains her relationship with Lux, but she strains her marriage by taking birth control pills and her not telling Ryan. Cate meets Valerie Gilbert, one of Lux's former foster mothers, who tells her about Lux's issues and her anger towards her husband Trey. However, it eventually comes out in court about what Trey had done to Lux. She finally convinces Valerie that she had to tell the judge what her husband had done. She does, and finally, Trey is arrested and jailed for the crimes he had committed against Lux. Along with Baze, Cate tells Eric Daniels, a teacher who was dating Lux, although she did not realize that until later on, to resign his job; leave Portland and never talk to Lux again. He complies and leaves Portland once and for all. In the final episode, she finds out that she miscarried her child with Ryan and because of this miscarriage, she could not have children again. Lux would be the only child she would ever have. This development helps Cate and Lux bond as never before. When she sees Julia at the doctor's office, she finally goes to the Open Bar and tells her husband that they need to talk. Epilogue Cate attends Lux's graduation, and she and Ryan's marriage is annulled. It is revealed that she is finally with Baze and Lux finally calls her Mom. She, Baze and Lux are finally the happy family that they dreamed that they would be. Personality Cate's on air personality is akin to being a bit sarcastic and snarky, but off the air, she has a lot of emotional wreckage, due to her family's dysfunction. She carries scars of abandonment, much in the same way Lux has, due to her father's continual rejection of her. Later on, though, Cate and Lux bond, mainly after she loses her second child and is discovered that she cannot have any more children. Physical Appearance Relationships * Baze: Being the father of her child, Cate shares a love-hate relationship with Baze. At times, she sees him as the man she wants to be with until she is quickly reminded otherwise. Several episodes reveal that deep down, Cate does have feelings for Baze. These feelings are picked up by Lux. It was also revealed that the anger she had for Baze leaving her while pregnant was also an anger she had aimed at her father. The two remain friends throughout until the season finale when they finally get together and become Lux's parents. * Lux: At first, Cate shares a distant relationship with Lux, who appears to favor her dad over her. Lux blames Cate for her miserable childhood and is hurt that she did not even bother to check on her all those years. Cate herself, feels guilty. However, as the series progresses, the two become closer and Lux starts to see her more as a mother, turning to her when she needs her. In the final episode, Lux and Cate finally bond when Lux learns that she will be the only child that Cate can ever have after losing her baby with Ryan. Lux finally becomes comfortable enough with her to call her Mom. * Laverne: Cate's relationship with her mother is seen to be quite negative, very similiar to one that Baze shares with his dad. The extremities of this aren't revealed until season 2's episode Music Faced, which reveals that Laverne did not want Cate when she had her, and was the one who pressured Cate into giving Lux away. This relationship doesn't entirely change, however, she and Laverne have a heart to heart in her final appearance. The fact that she is not present at her granddaughter's graduation questions whether Cate ever truly reconciles with her mother. * Abby: Cate tends to have a sibling rivalry with her younger sister. It's learned that this was not always the case, and only changed when Cate got pregnant with Lux. Cate goes on to reveal that she wish someone would've been there for her, naming Abby as one of the ones along with Baze's mom and her dad. In spite of that, she, like her mother, doesn't attend Lux's graduation. * Grant: 'Cate longs for a relationship with her father, but is often disappointed by him. He left his family when Cate was small, and was not heard from for a long time. Cate also is very angry at her father for abandoning her, an anger she focuses on Baze. When Cate, Lux and Baze meet him in Lake Tahoe, he again disappoints Cate by refusing her request to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. A shattered Cate breaks down in Baze's arms after she confronts Grant. * '''Alice: '''Cate's best friend is Alice, her show's producer. She is perhaps one of the people she can share her feelings with, aside from Ryan. Appearances Season 1 *Pilot *Home Inspected *Rent Uncollected *Bong Intercepted *Turtle Undefeated *Truth Unrevealed *Crisis Unaverted *Bride Unbridled *Formal Reformed *Family Therapized *Storm Weathered *Father Unfigured *Love Unexpected Season 2 *Ocean Uncharted *Parents Unemployed *Criminal Incriminated *Team Rebounded *Music Faced *Honeymoon Interrupted *Camp Grounded *Plumber Cracked *Homecoming Crashed *Thanks Ungiven *Stand Taken *Teacher Schooled *Affair Remembered Name *'Catherine: Is the French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant. From the Greek name Αικατερινη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from the earlier Greek name ‘Εκατερινη (Hekaterine), which came from ‘εκατερος (hekateros) "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess HECATE; it could be related to Greek αικια (aikia) "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρος (katharos) "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this. *'Cassidy:' Is an Irish surname. Derived from the Gaelic Ó Caiside meaning "descendent of Caiside". Caiside is a given name meaning "curly haired" from Gaelic cas. Trivia *She can't cook. Gallery Category:Characters Category:Cassidy family